If you noticed a large, white Coast Guard Sentinel-Class Fast Response Coast Guard Cutter William Chadwick out of Boston floating Thursday afternoon in Gloucester Harbor, it’s because the cutter had assisted a Gloucester fishing vessel with a “relief tow” back to port from 26 nautical miles offshore of Kennebunkport, Maine, according to the Coast Guard.
A Coast Guard spokesperson said there were no injuries reported among the five-person crew of the F/V Sea Farmer II.
The William Chadwick towed the 77-foot fishing vessel into the harbor then handed it off a crew from Coast Guard Station Gloucester on Harbor Loop to take the vessel the rest of the way.
In a post on Facebook around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Coast Guard Station Gloucester said it had assisted the Willian Chadwick with a relief tow that morning of the Sea Farmer II, owned by Sandler Fisheries out of South Hamilton.
Station Gloucester’s Motor Lifeboat CG47259 took over from the cutter and moored Sea Farmer II to Cape Pond Ice, the station said.
“BZ to all crew involved in the evolution!” posted Coast Guard Station Gloucester to Facebook.
Sector Northern New England Command Center received a report of a disabled fishing vessel about 26 nautical miles offshore of Kennebunkport, Maine,Public Affairs Specialist , Diolanda Caballero of Coast Guard Northeast said in an email.
The Coast Guard received the call about 3 p.m. Wednesday from the vessel with a crew of five people on board, she said. She said there was no cause listed for the boat becoming disabled.
The vessel had issued a Marine Assistance Request Broadcast and called commercial towing companies without any result.
Sector Northern New England diverted the William Chadwick to respond.
“After discussion with the First Coast Guard District Command Center and U.S. Coast Guard Sector Boston,” Caballero said, “Chadwick is towing the vessel to Gloucester.”
There the Chadwick rendezvoused with the 47-foot motor lifeboat, handing off the tow to Station Gloucester which assisted in mooring the vessel. The fishing vessel “was safely moored up at Ocean Crest pier,” Caballero said. Ocean Crest Seafoods and Cape Pond Ice are adjacent to one another on Commercial Street.
“A post search and rescue boarding was conducted with no violations found,” Caballero said.
In October 2020, the Sea Farmer II was also towed by the Coast Guard after becoming disabled about 65 nautical miles off Kennebunk.
The Sea Farmer II holds a number of federal and state fishing permits..